At or around this time, in the month of May, for many years now, our local lawyers and judges have gathered with our community in our historic courthouse to celebrate Law Day. At the heart of each community celebration, held here and across our nation, is the recognition and promotion of the Rule of Law in our society. In our local program, originated by our beloved retired County Judge, Hon. W. Howard Sullivan, each year we have honored a special member of our county, selected by our County Bar Association – a non-lawyer – who has contributed in some remarkable manner to fostering the Rule of Law and civic virtues. This individual is given the "Liberty Bell Award" in recognition of their service and dedication. We also celebrate the winners of the annual mock trial high school competition, who have engaged in learning and practicing courtroom advocacy skills.

But this year, as we all know, is not like other years. It is instead terribly distinct. We cannot safely gather in our courthouse – or anywhere else! The mock trial competition was necessarily ended after the earliest rounds of competition. No community member was selected to receive the prestigious award.

Nonetheless, there is much to celebrate, even in this time of hardship. First, it may be helpful to note that although this pandemic is novel in our time, those who came before us also suffered hardship and travail. We can readily see, if we look back at any time in history, that our ancestors managed to overcome great hardships, to rise up from suffering, and to find and spread joy and care within their communities, even in times of dire difficulties. This is one reason that it is helpful to study history; this is just one of the lessons we may learn when we do. We may see with wonder the resolve and fortitude our forebears have shown. What they have shown, we can, too.

On that note, I invite you to celebrate Law Day with me – much as we would in our courthouse, where over the past several years I have been honored to give the opening remarks on the annual theme. The theme of this year's Law Day celebration, chosen by the American Bar Association, is "Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: the 19th Amendment at 100". And as stated above, this theme gives us much to celebrate!

On August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. After many decades of advocacy and struggle, women nationwide were finally granted the right to vote. As we celebrate this milestone, one hundred years later, I am particularly aware of the importance of women’s suffrage – and voting generally – as I am currently campaigning for reelection to my role as a Justice of the Supreme Court. It has, again, been a fascinating and challenging process. Before the current crisis began, I was enjoying meeting many of my neighbors, seeking their help and support. I have been mindful throughout that my own campaign is occurring so very near what may be considered the birthplace of the women’s suffrage movement. Some of the key leaders frequently gathered in Madison County, where I have served as a trial judge; the famed Seneca Falls Convention occurred a mere 100 miles from Chenango County.

The Convention planners, including such notable leaders as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Matilda Joslyn Gage were inspired by women of the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois) Confederacy. These native women participated in all aspects of society and decision-making. They demonstrated – contrary to what was often claimed – that "natural law" did not require the degradation and disenfranchisement of women.

Participants at the Convention took up many issues related to the role of women in social, religious and civil matters. They issued a Declaration of Sentiments containing eleven resolutions. The resolution relating to women’s right to vote was added last; many readers may be surprised to learn that it was regarded as among the most radical and controversial. This resolution was the subject of great debate. Although some participants considered the pursuit of the electoral franchise too extreme, and so worried that it might undermine their platform, Stanton stood firm in her conviction that the right to vote was wholly necessary. She viewed this right as a condition precedent to reforming other aspects of women’s treatment in public and private life. Advocates for this bold position recognized that the ability to vote would empower women in a unique and fundamental way, by bringing their voices to bear upon legislation and other government action.

Today, the notion that voting is a fundamental right, and that it is one of the most important ways to participate in and potentially transform our society, seems obvious; but not long ago, many Americans – specifically including progressive and thoughtful women at the forefront of the women’s rights movement – regarded women’s suffrage as a bridge too far. Indeed, it was not until more than 70 years after the Seneca Falls Convention that women nationwide finally won this precious right.

It certainly also bears mention that even after the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, legal and practical impediments such as Jim Crow laws and citizenship restrictions prevented many people of color and indigenous persons from voting. And although we have theoretically achieved universal suffrage, obstacles to voting persist. These include issues related to voter identification rules, gerrymandering tactics, and other laws and policies put in place to limit the ability of individuals to participate in the electoral process, and to achieve meaningful representation. Challenges continue in the present, in each and every generation; the work of preserving democracy is never fully completed.
In conclusion, thank you for pausing with me, in these challenging and uncertain times, to celebrate women’s suffrage. It is one of the pillars of our democratic way of life, and certainly a critically important milestone on our continuing journey toward a more just and equal society. As we now find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic, our response to that danger requires extensive coordination and extraordinary leadership by our government officials at every level. When we must look to our government to navigate dire circumstances, we may be well reminded as to why our foremothers fought so mightily to be represented, and for their right to participate fully in society. May our look back into history provide some inspiration. And may our rights and freedoms, and our shared sense of community, be a source of strength as we come together through this difficult time – and when we reach the other side.